This story is about love at the moulin rouge
by lee tea
Summary: What would happen if Satine had no illness at all? Preface chap set after spectacular spectacular, and full story set 5 years after. The moulin Rouge is opening again.
1. Act 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Moulin rouge, or any of its characters. This story is not being written for profit. No copyright infringement is intended. A/N: Hi ppl, Thank you for coming to read my story, a lot of time and hard work was spent on it. This chapter is the preface chapter, telling you how they came apart. Tell me if you like it, if you don't, and your ideas. Even flames are good.just not TOO harsh, ok? ^_^ ALL reviews are greatly appreciated!! Please enjoy.  
  
"This story is about love.at the Moulin rouge"  
  
And then.it finished. With a flash and a bang, and screaming so loud that they thought they would never hear again. "Spectacular Spectacular" had been a huge success.  
  
But now their own show would have to start. With the lights back on, and the curtain closed, a dramatic act of love, jealousy and rage would begin behind the scenes.  
  
Satine could hear the crowds of men leaving the newly renovated theatre.some with their "companions" for the evening, and others just drunk.on happiness and absinthe, dreading their return to their normal lives the next day, but thoroughly enjoying their state of carelessness.  
  
She was holding Christian, he had his hands in her hair, and gripping her back, and for that one moment, everything was just still. Perfect. How much time would she have left with her beloved? Would the maharaja get his way with the courtesan after all? Would she be stuck in this cage forever?  
  
Suddenly the duke's voice was heard through the crowd, "Warner! Get Satine.kill the boy". She could hear the anger in his thick, disgusting accent. Warner heeded his command as usual, sending the guardsmen up the steps to the theatre. Satine knew that they would be waiting outside the doors as well. God, it seemed so hopeless.  
  
She was called back to reality when she heard Christian's voice whispering her name. "Satine," he said almost breathlessly, "We must leave!" Yes, she nodded her head, yes. The bohemians called to them, run! Run! They said, pressing them on urgently. We'll stall him for you! Nini said. Toulouse called to them, "Christian! Satine! We will see you again, my friends! "Oh how she loved that little man! Would they truly, ever see him again?  
  
So Christian took her hand, and they began to scramble. Against the crowds, against the odds. They were at her dressing room. She grabbed the things she needed, and the few things that she treasured, and threw them quickly into an old carpet bag. She barely had time to close it before Christian grabbed her hand and pressed on again.  
  
People, oh so many people. Shouting words of praise, addressing them as the happy couple. But did they really care? No. They probably didn't care about anything except how much they were going to make that night. They probably didn't even care about themselves. Satine was one of them once.  
  
They were so close now she could feel the cool breath of night beckoning them. But then, Warner's servile voice, "Check the back hall!" She turned to Christian. "Run" was all he said. So they did. Right into the nearest closet, shutting the door quickly and locking it. But that offered little security. She looked at Christian, who was breathing heavily. Tears had smeared the makeup on her own face; she was shaking, trembling with fear, apprehension. Christian took his own thin jacket and put it over her shoulders. "What will we do now?" She asked him, her confident voice all but gone. "It'll be alright" he said. She shivered violently against the breeze.the breeze? Christian searched the walls frantically, looking, praying.there it was! A gap in the wall. He took the nearest object, which happened to be a very nice chair, and SMASHED the wall as hard as he could. The Moulin rouge was an old building, and the wall came out fairly easily. The hole was big enough, just big enough for them to squeeze through.  
  
The voices, the guards, coming, faster, always coming.  
  
They ran, out into the street, into the air, into the night. They were.  
  
Free.  
  
It was raining. Fast and hard. But their victory was short lived. They could now see the guards pushing the door down with objects; they could hear the banging of wood against metal.  
  
"Satine! Run!" he whispered violently to her.  
  
"What?" She said. No.fly away from here, he said. She answered, I'm not leaving you! Desperately, clinging to his soaked shirt, he must see it, it didn't matter, and nothing mattered, but them. That was all. Just them. She shook her head. No, no, no!  
  
He cupped her face gently with his hands. "Satine, listen to me," The voices were getting oh so close. "You must go".  
  
"How will I find you?"  
  
"I'll find you. Take this". It was a picture, which he had in the pocket of his jacket. It was of them, together, in his garret. They were smiling, laughing. He had one hand around her waist, and the other tilting her face up to him. Her hands were around his neck. They were standing in front of the window, and you could see in the background.the Moulin rouge.  
  
He put it in her hand quickly but softly, not wanting it to be hit by the rain. He then took his hand and closed it around her own. The guards, finally succeeding in pulling the door open.  
  
"I will find you again, darling. Come what may." He kissed her forehead, then her lips, passionately, a promise of his love to her.  
  
"Run." He said. And so she did.  
  
~finis So tell me, what? Press the lovely little blue button down there and tell me what you think. 


	2. Act 2: A day in the life

Hi guys! Wow! I got back home to find some reviews! I didn't even think that I would get one! Thank you so much to: Janice: Thank you very much for your advice! I looked more closely at my story, and realized that I could fine tune it a bit more, and there is in FACT a story to the photograph, which Satine will talk about in this chapter! Please keep reviewing, it was a big help to me for the writing of this chapter! Stacey: Thanks! I will keep writing if people continue to show interest! Tani: Thanks alot! I figure that I should explain would happen now, because my edit function is being a big poop and not working! ( So here is the revised end of chapter 1: "I will find you again darling. Come what may". He kissed her forehead and then her lips passionately, a promise of his love to her.  
  
There! Warner had gotten through the door, and squinted to see his targets through the rain. He shot once with his trusty revolver.  
  
Satine jumped, and almost screamed, but Christian silenced her with his hand. "Go!" he said vehemently, "I'll fend them off. I won't lose you to him."  
  
Run he said. And so she did.  
  
~finis. Ya, so that's a bit better. I'll add that in. What happened is that Christian was trying to fend them off, so that she could escape. So I hope that that clarifies that for some of you! As always, feel free to email me with comments, or suggestions. Thank you to those who reviewed, and to those who didn't! Disclaimer: I don't own Moulin rouge. That is my last disclaimer for this story. If I did own Moulin rouge, Satine would have lived! LIVED!!  
  
Act 2~ the velvet curtains open on to the computer, as the viewers sit in awe and hushed silence.  
  
Sleep never came easily to her any more. She would lie in bed and just.stare at the ceiling until he was asleep. Then, she would slink out of bed, out the bedroom door and would climb steadily to the tower. There was a window in the tower, which had a window seat. He had no idea that she went up there every night, and would probably ban her from doing it, if he did find out! The night breeze ruffled her hair, blowing random strands back and forth. Before she sat down, she lifted up the dark blue seat to reveal a small box, about the size of her palm. She sat down, and opened the box. Inside was a small photograph. It was the one thing she had left of him, her first and only love, Christian.  
  
To any other person, it was a regular photograph. But to Satine, it was hope. The only shred of hope that she had left.  
  
It would be five years in 2 weeks. Five years of waiting, of hoping, of dreaming, of sleepless nights and restless days. She smiled slightly as she recalled the day that the photograph had been taken.  
  
Flashback, to 1899, Satine, Christian and Toulouse are in Christian's garret, rehearsing and fine tuning "Spectacular, Spectacular"  
  
"And then the evil maharaja takes her hand, and says, "You shall be mine!"" Christian explained to the two of them, while using lively hand motions to enhance the line. Satine and Toulouse both laughed at his ridiculous accent. Then Christian came upon Toulouse's line, at which he suddenly jumped up, excited at the prospect of reading his lines, but he accidentally spilled steaming hot tea and sugar cookies all over himself, and began to yelp in pain! Satine and Christian both burst into laughter, and Toulouse grumbled something about going to change. He left and closed the door to Christian's garret. Satine lay back down on the lounge, her laughter subsiding into a happy sigh.  
  
"Oh Christian,' she said slowly, as he leaned down to her, "I don't know how I made it through the day without this," and she smiled at him. "Without what?" He asked her, pulling her up to him, so that she was sitting. "All of this!" She said. "I don't think I could go back to the way things were."  
  
"You'll never have to," he answered, smiling, entwining his hands in her own, and lifting her up. "Come here, I want to show you something" he said, and led her to the window. He turned her to the window, and pointed his finger at the Moulin rouge. "See there" he said, and she nodded.  
  
"After tomorrow, we will be as far away from there as you can imagine."  
  
"Oh, really? And how will we do that?" She quipped, turning to look at him, her hands around his neck.  
  
"Well, I just happen to have two train tickets, for us, out of Paris." He put his arms around her and said, "We'll be far away from here. We can start over again; a new life"  
  
"That, monsieur Christian, sounds like a wonderful idea." But before their lips could meet, Toulouse took a picture! Hey had been so wrapped up in themselves, they hadn't noticed that Toulouse had snuck back in the room, and set up his camera!  
  
"Ooh..how wonderfuw! My foist picture! Wait just a minute for it to come out.voiwa!" And it was perfect. All three of them laughed. ~ end flashback  
  
Satine was brought out of her little recap by a bird cawing somewhere in the distance. "One day I'll fly away" she said. She had been so sure. But where did she fly off to? What had happened to Christian? He told her that he would fend them off. So she ran, ran with the knowledge of him finding her again. But she ran straight into his grasp. Into the duke. Where did she fly to? Another cage, with higher and thicker bars. Would she never be free? Always stuck, somewhere for some reason or another. Happiness, always spectacular in its fleeting moment of glory, before disappearing again, leaving her more broken than before. She began to hum, absentmindedly. "I follow the night" "Cant stand the light" She found the words again, the old song coming back to her, "When will I begin to live again?" "One day I'll fly away" "Leave all this to yesterday" "What more could your love do for me?" "When will love be through with me?" "Why live life from dream to dream" "And dread the day when dreaming ends" She got louder and louder, and louder, until all that was running through her mind was the song "One day I'll fly away" "Leave all this to yesterday" "Why live life from dream to dream" "And dread the day" "When dreaming.ends" As a tear slid slowly down her cheek, she kissed the picture, and put it back to it's tiny hiding spot. She left the tower and went back to bed, only to repeat the same cycle tomorrow. ~Finis  
  
Again, tell me what you think!! Press that little blue button down there. I'm hoping to get about 10 reviews in total, so that means.7 reviews! Come on guys, you can do it!! ~lee tea 


	3. Act3: There was a boy, a very strange en...

Hey guys! Check this out, chapter three I finished in record time! Keep those reviews coming! I love them so much! Thanks to Juliet, Sparkling_Bohemian and to Tani! Disclaimer: If you want the disclaimer, check out chap's one and two. Thanks.  
  
~Act three The velvet curtains open on to the computer screen, leaving the audience in hushed silence and anticipation. Let the show begin.  
  
Sleep never came easily to him anymore. And when it did come, it never seemed to last. He would always end up on his window seat, staring out into the sky. For what, you ask? For answers that he didn't have questions to. It had been five years since he'd had a decent nights sleeps. He knew why, and frankly, Christian was at a loss. Every night he would replay what had happened in his head over, and over again. He had lost her.and it was his fault. ~flashback. Run he said to her. He wouldn't lose her to the duke. Not tonight, not ever. Warner came out, shooting blindly into the rain. Christian had jumped on him. He had knocked him unconscious, the gun somewhere on the ground. But there were more of them, so many more of them. He had done as best he could, but more and more men kept coming at them, when *whack* something incredibly hard had hit the back of his head. Everything had begun to go dizzy, hazy, grey, and then black. He fell, and felt the cool pavement rush up to meet his already aching head. But before he was out completely, he heard a nasally voice say "leave him there. Get Satine. Bring her to me."  
  
Christian woke up in a hospital, 2 days later. Some couple was running out of the rain, and spotted him, bringing him to the hospital. When he had gotten out, another 2 or so days later, he had begun to search for Satine.  
  
But there was nothing. He had found.nothing. For a year he had searched for her. Everywhere in Paris, then in all of France, but he did not find her. He would go back to the Moulin rouge every so often to see if maybe, just maybe she had come back. But Neither Zidler, Marie, or the diamond dogs would speak of her. Nini, baby doll, Chocolat, all consumed with grief, knowing nothing either way. That year, the Moulin Rouge had closed its doors once and for all. Zidler would not speak of that either. After that, Christian had nowhere to go. So he moved back to England, where he was now, and where he had become a rather successful and popular author. Telling tales of freedom, beauty, truth.and love. He lived lavishly. But no amount of material items in the world.would ever replace or make up for the loss of her.  
  
What had happened to his beloved? Was she dead? Alive? Hurt? Married? Did she leave him? Did she have a choice? But the thought that most often crossed his mind, was "Is she thinking of me?" He pondered out loud to himself.  
  
He tipped his glass of champagne at the moon, a mock toast. He took a sip, and put the glass down on the window sill. Christian closed the window, and went back to bed. It would be another two hours before his long lashes would close down, immersing himself in deep slumber.  
  
Tell me what you think.cause that would be very cool. In case I don't end up posting from the 21st to the 25th, Happy holidays, whatever holiday you celebrate. Feel free to email, although I will be checking less in the next few days. * Family gathering..ugghh* -lee tea 


	4. Act 4: Everything happens for a reason?

Hello again guys! I'm writing this chapter right after the 3rd one, so I can't thank any reviewers, but I'll do thank you's if I have to in the next chapter. Disclaimer: If you want to see the disclaimer, look at chaps 1 and 2. Please don't sue me; I need to keep my Christmas money. Since when were there so many people in my family?? Huh..A/N: I do have some French language in this chapter, please inform me if it is wrong, and I'll change it. (I'm using my limited amount of French and a wee bit of translation..oh, don't you look at ME like that!)You can find out what the words mean at the end of the chapter, all translations will be listed there for your sheer enjoyment! Yay!  
  
A/N: I have taken quotes and lines from some movies and in particular, a brilliant fanfic that I found a while ago by a fabulous author, She's a star. I hope that she doesn't get mad at me for using some of her lines! Read her stories people, they're absolutely brilliant!!  
  
"Within your heart, keep one still spot where dreams may go." - Louise Driscoll  
  
~Act 4 .. The velvet curtains open on to the computer screen, leaving the audience in hushed silence and anticipation. Let the show begin.  
  
"Mademoiselle Satine.se reveille!"  
  
"Mmm..." Satine woke with a start. It was Merine, the servant assigned to her by the duke.  
  
"Yes Merine?" She asked her in French.  
  
"Se reveille! Le duc a une surprise pour tu!"  
  
Wonderful, a surprise. Just what she needed at seven o'clock in the morning. Merine helped Satine into her dress, and applied rouge and makeup to her already flawless skin.  
  
As Satine walked down the marble staircase, she saw the duke come out from the study with about five other men, all dressed smartly in the finest suits that money could buy.  
  
They tipped their hats to the beautiful woman walking down the stairs.  
  
"Bonjour messieurs." She said courteously. What was going on? It was obvious that the surprise was not a walk on the town!  
  
As she came to the floor, the duke held out his arm to her. She took it, as always, and smiled at him, as any good *fiancée* would do.  
  
"My dear," he said in his nasally voice, "As you know, the Moulin rouge has been closed for some four years now." He turned to her, for acknowledgement and she nodded her head in agreement.  
  
"Well, these five fine men also hold deeds to the Moulin rouge," again she nodded her head.  
  
"And we have decided that it just sitting there isn't doing any good, so we shall open it back up again."  
  
"It'll make us a gross amount of money, as well!" One of the men added hopefully." The duke shot him a look as if saying "say anything else and I'll kill you"  
  
"I-I don't know what to ummm. to say, that is great messieurs! I trust that your business with the Moulin rouge will be profitable. Now if you would excuse me gentlemen."  
  
"Where are you going my dear?" the duke called after her  
  
"I must say that I am feeling quite ill this morning.nothing to be alarmed of. I shall be in my chambers. Please do not disturb me." And with that she left the room.  
  
Satine climbed slowly the marble stairs to her chambers, but passed them, and instead went to her secret tower. The duke would not disturb her, he knew better than that. She began to think to herself. if the duke was opening the Moulin rouge, then it was still a theatre. This meant that they would need a new show. Which meant that maybe, Harry Zidler and Marie and nini and Baby doll and Chocolat and all of the dancers would be there as well.  
  
But it also meant that there would be a grand opening night, and many would come to the Grande occasion, from all over England and France.  
  
If Zidler be put back in charge, then maybe he would call back the people in charge of Spectacular Spectacular.  
  
That meant Toulouse, and the pianists, and the lyricists and.Christian.  
  
"No," she said out loud. Don't get your hopes up. Five years worth of hopes, that her penniless poet would come and save her from the maharaja.  
  
She had lost herself somewhere along the line; everything had fallen to pieces. She could remember her former self. The sparkling diamond. Before she met Christian, before he showed her what life could really be. She thought that he was the duke.  
  
The duke. The words that rolled off of her lips had such a bigger meaning, than what they represented now.  
  
The fact that a man as powerful as him had looked twice at her gave her hope that maybe she wasn't just a little girl with big dreams that were destined, doomed to always be only dreams.  
  
What had happened to those dreams? They had changed, and she was glad that they did. She didn't - need fame and fortune, because when she looked at Christian, she was.she was home.  
  
But such were a courtesan's dreams, dreams of a life where she could spend the night with a man that she knew, and didn't resent. Spend a night with a man and not feel lesser and lesser a person each time.  
  
The sky outside the window was pink and purple hues on a pallet of blue. The moon could faintly be seen. She looked at it, and remembered a tale that had been told to her by Marie. When she was little, she was afraid of the closet, because it would sometimes rattle, due to one leg being shorter than the other. So Marie had told her that whenever she was afraid, to look at the moon, because he was watching down on her, so that she would be safe.  
  
Was it true? Was he still watching her? Did he have a plan for her, carefully mapped out, or had he grown tired of her wishes, and pleas?  
  
She began to hum a little lullaby slowly to herself.  
  
"In the quiet time of evening"  
  
"When the stars assume their patterns"  
  
"When the day has made its journey"  
  
"And we wonder just what happened"  
  
"To the life we knew"  
  
"Before the world changed"  
  
"When not a thing I had was true"  
  
"But you were kind to me"  
  
"And you reminded me"  
  
"That the world was not my playground"  
  
"There are other things that matter"  
  
~finis  
  
So...whatcha think? Good? Bad? My psychic powers are telling you to review.please? I love writing this story and I've gotten a lot of positive feedback.  
  
Acknowledgements: Lines taken from:  
  
Finding nemo "With a kiss" By she's a star "My funny friend and me" by Sting (the song)  
  
Translations: "Se reveille: Wake up  
  
"Le duc a une surprise pour tu: The duke has a surprise for you  
  
"Bonjour messieurs: Hello gentlemen  
  
~lee tea 


	5. Act 5: Into the woods to lose the longin...

Act 5~ The velvet curtains open onto the computer screen, leaving the audience in hushed silence and anticipation. Let the show begin. Disclaimer: check chaps one and two  
  
*She was walking in a meadow. A beautiful meadow, it was full of flowers, pink and yellow, and animals. Oh, she had always loved animals. There were, deer and, and tiny little rabbits and squirrels, and she could see horses in the distance. At the edge of a meadow was a small forest. So, seeing that there was nowhere else to go, she started walking towards it. Slowly she walked; she had all the time in the world!  
  
She could feel the smooth grass underneath her, tickling her feet. She looked down at herself, and she found that she was wearing a beautiful cotton dress, loosely tied in the back. It was white with small flowers everywhere on it. It was so much better than those silly corsets and costumes that sometimes would scratch her back. But how could she have known that? She had never worn one, or had she? She couldn't quite remember. It trailed behind her and every time it touched the ground, it left small sprouting flower buds in its wake.  
  
Further and further she walked, until she came to a small clearing. In the clearing was a cottage.  
  
A beautiful cottage it was, and she could not resist going to ask the person who lived there, who had made it. Just before she could knock on the door, a man came up beside her. He was tall, and he looked strong, and he was walking a white horse to the stables in the back of the house. He stretched his hand to her, and a smile came to her lips. Suddenly, the realization came to her that she could not see his face.was it the wind? Or maybe just her eyes? So she began to wonder. He certainly looked handsome from her perspective, but would it be rude to ask him to show her his face? He might think she was crazy! So all the while he led her to the stables, she tried to see, but somehow she couldn't.  
  
The hand that gripped hers was soft and firm, and loving and gentle, and she didn't want to let go, but of course she had to, because somebody had to unlock the stable doors, didn't they?  
  
So as soon as they got inside, she decided that now was as good a time as any, so she did. Ask him, I mean.  
  
"Excuse me messieurs, I was erm, just wondering if I could possibly see your face". She asked as politely as she could, but of course, it was hard to be polite at all no matter how hard a person might try when asking to see someone's face.  
  
So he turned to face her, and began to laugh. A deep laugh, not hollow at all, and that was good, because hollow laughs didn't mean anything happy. And she had a feeling that she might cry if he wasn't happy.  
  
He continued to laugh, and she had to ask, just what are you laughing at? She was quite perplexed! I mean, wouldn't you be if someone just started to laugh because of nothing at all?  
  
"What are you talking about darling?" He asked.  
  
Well, if you had asked her, she would have thought it rude for a gentleman that she didn't know to be calling her darling! So, he asked again, this time taking her hands in his, and said in a gentle voice, not laughing anymore, but still joyously  
  
"Don't you recognize me Satine?" Satine? Who was Satine? Well, she thought for a moment and figured that it must be her, for no one else seemed to be there. She began to giggle a bit at that sudden thought, and he asked her a bit confused, what's the matter? And he took his hand and placed it on the side of her cheek and traced his thumb along her jaw line.  
  
At that moment she ceased laughing and looked at him, and she tried to find his face, because she still couldn't see it!! God, there must be something wrong with me today she thought. But his hand was so soft, and it felt so familiar and right and perfect, that she couldn't think straight.  
  
And so he told her that she would be able to see it if she just closed her eyes and thought about it. He told her that slowly the pieces would come back to her. All the pieces? She asked him, and he seemed so sure and so of course she would try!  
  
So she tried and tried, and soon all of it was coming back, but just before the last piece came in, there was a wind, a strong wind, which blew all the pieces away. And suddenly, she found herself running away. Why? It's not like she had anywhere else to go, right? But he was calling her name, but she couldn't turn back, but she wanted to! Why couldn't she? Soon his voice got smaller and smaller, and all that remained of him was the shadow in her mind that he had ever really been there at all.  
  
Her feet stopped moving at the edge of the woods, stopping shortly, and making her stumble to the ground. She was in the meadow again .But now the sun was very bright, and she didn't like the grass under her feet anymore.  
  
All she wanted to do was go back, into the wood, because she was so close, who was he? How did he know her? There was this feeling, but it was just a feeling, and she couldn't get it out of her mind.  
  
She looked back, and she ran, ran to the woods, because surely if she looked he would be there right? Of course he would. But somehow, she couldn't get in, because the entrance had disappeared! The branches were so thick, and long and sturdy, and even if she wanted to attempt to climb the tree, she didn't know how.  
  
So.what? Was that it? Did she just give up on him? But was it really giving up? Because it's not like she had a choice to go back, right? She plopped her self down on the grass, but found that it was very uncomfortable all of a sudden, and after all didn't want to get her dress dirty, so she decided to stand. She found herself longing the cool shade of the wood. She found herself longing the unruliness of the wood. She had had him for such a little while, but she wanted more, and it was so frustrating, because she couldn't find him!! She was turning away, when she heard.singing? WOAH! The woods were very tall! They hadn't been that tall before, had they? Maybe she just hadn't noticed. But the singing was back. It was women, many women. Maybe they would come out; they seemed far in because she couldn't quite hear them. But it got louder and louder, and clearer and clearer, and suddenly it was if the women were right there beside her! Would they let her into the woods again? Would they help her find him again? But they told her to listen to their song, and so she did, and this is what they said.  
  
"Had we used our common sense Been worthy of our discontents. To be happy and forever You must see your wish come true Don't be careful, don't be clever When you see your wish pursue It's a dangerous endeavor But the only thing to do- Though it's fearful Though it's deep, though it's dark And though you may lose the path Though you may encounter wolves You mustn't stop You mustn't swerve You mustn't ponder You have to act! When you know your wish If you want your wish You can have you wish But you can't just wish No, to get your wish You go into the woods Where nothings clear Where witches, ghosts And wolves appear Into the woods And through the fear You have to take the journey Into the woods And down the dell In vain perhaps But who can tell? Into the woods to lift the spell Into the woods to lose the longing Into the woods to have the child To wed the prince To get the money To save the house To kill the wolf To find the father To conquer the kingdom To have, to wed To get, to save To kill, to keep To go to the festival! Into the woods, Into the woods, Into the woods, Then out of the woods- - To be continued. And happy ever after!  
  
~***~  
  
Satine woke from the dream with a shriek, and then began to cry loud wracking sobs, until she lulled herself to sleep once more.  
  
Again, review! Review! Review! Aaaaaahhhh! I know, this was kinda a weird chapter.but I loved writing it, and it will get you from one chapter to the next, and it was really pretty too! Tee hee! 


	6. Act 6: I'm late, i'm late, for a very im...

Sorry I was late in updating you guys, this was one of those in between chapters, and for a while there, I didn't have any motivation to write, except for that little Christmas story. So, here you go, Satine is at the Moulin rouge1! *god, finally!*  
  
The velvet curtains open on to the computer screen, leaving the audience hushed in silent anticipation. Let the show begin.  
  
Act 6 ~ I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date!  
  
Satine woke with a start, Grouchy and tired from her, little dream that night. She turned over, only to find a small piece of paper on the other pillow. It was from.the duke? He never did this. It was always, "well, send a maid and wake her UP! You imbecile!" The note was written in the dukes' perfect handwriting. God! She hated it! She thought that he might die of terror and shock if suddenly his hand slipped, and the next letter was off by a millimeter. She laughed evilly to herself. She began to read the note.  
  
"Darling, I have gone to the Moulin rouge with the other owners, including Zidler, to discuss business. I have arranged lunch in the gothic tower for us at 12 o'clock sharp. I trust that you know how to get there? I will have an escort carriage take you to the Moulin. You may come early if you wish, although you will most likely not see me until lunch." ~ Regards, duke de montmarte  
  
OH! He made her so mad! Of COURSE she knew how to get there! Well, she would go early, if only to annoy him.  
  
She called for sionelle to fetch her clothing. The duke had picked it out, as he did everyday. Today it was a low cut blood red dress, with matching long gloves to match. Plus, the diamond choker that had been given to her was also included. The whole ensemble was Satin. He obviously had some important partners and wanted to show her off. "Pig" she thought. After dressing, and eating a small breakfast, she entered the carriage, ready for the long ride from upscale Paris, to the small village of Montmarte and to the Moulin rouge.  
  
*~~~~~~* One hour later*~~~~~~*  
  
Satine stepped out of the carriage, and onto the hard cobblestone ground. Just as she began to go in, she heard a small cry of "giddup". She turned around, only to see the carriage riding away! "No!" She shouted! "Come back!" She tried running after it, but there was no use. And besides, it was starting to rain. So she hopped onto the step, and put her hand out to the door handle, and just as she was about to turn it,  
  
She stopped. Ughhh.what was wrong with her? It's not like she didn't WANT to go in, it was just that, well, she didn't see herself ever coming back here, and certainly not for this reason! Of course she knew the duke had business, and it did unnerve her that he was opening it back up again, but why did SHE have to go back? Suddenly the door opened, and two men stepped out. The first tipped his hat, "miss" he said courteously. The latter of the two did the same, and held the door open for her. She could not refuse, and calmly walked in, with a "thank you gentlemen".  
  
Right...so know she was in. She nodded her head in agreement with herself. "Right", she said.  
  
So what was there to do now? She began to walk around, and after a while coming to the main hall. Standing at the last row of seats, she looked down to the stage. Satine walked down the rows, memories flooding into her head. She looked around and noticed that the Moulin rouge wasn't exactly in pristine condition. The seats were old and creaky, rusted with holes. They were also faded, from holes in the roof letting sunlight in. Right now, the only thing being let in was mice and rain, she thought. What had happened to this place? She had hated it once, but now she felt a tinge of guilt. She found herself at the stage. She walked up and stood at the front, looking at the seats. She used to own this stage, she thought, a sad smile coming to her face. Satine turned around and looked at the curtains. The velvet red curtains with a gold designed trim at the bottom, the only things preserved. The colour still shined with brilliance, no holes, no nothing. Just pure splendor.  
  
*~~~~* Ten minutes later*~~~~*  
  
Satine had reached the elephant. On top already, she found that it had stopped raining. It was hers once, her possessions and clothes and everything in here. The gold paint had come off, the rug was ripped, and the gold heart necklace that was once at the head lay broken and discarded on the floor. It was amazing that it hadn't fallen to the ground, many feet below. "Kind of like me," she thought as she bent down to examine it. The paint became discolored and chipped, the chain broken and odd looking. She ran her hand over the smooth surface, and was about to examine it, just when the 12 o'clock bell sounded In the Montmarte square. She didn't think anything of it, until she suddenly got very hungry. "*gasp!* THE DUKE!" She shouted as her head snapped up, and she started hurrying down the stairs to the gothic tower.she hoped that the duke would be late himself!!  
  
~finis  
  
DUN DUN DUN!!!! To be continued, by me, lee tea, in the next chapter! It'll be up soon! What can you expect?  
  
IN THE NEXT CHAPTER: Satine has dinner with the duke, he tells her of the plans for our dear Moulin, Zidler comes back, and Christian (whatever happened to him? Shame on me) gets a letter from Zidler. Why? Well, maybe the Moulin needs a writer, and why not hire a famous writer like say..Monsieur James! Yay! (That's Christian's last name, for those of you who.umm. Didn't like.know that, ummm yea.  
  
Oh, just so you know, I found out yesterday, that to get to me using the search function, you have to type in "tea lee" not "lee tea" ya. Btw, I don't own Moulin rouge. Check chaps one and two for full disclaimer. 


	7. Act 7: Part one: Round and round the mer...

The velvet curtains open on to the computer screen, leaving the audience hushed in silent anticipation. Let the show begin.  
  
Act 7: Part one: Round and round the merry go round, back to the beginning.  
  
Christian woke with a start, his housekeeper jostling his shoulder.  
  
"Master James!" she said, trying desperately to wake up the sleeping man.  
  
"Mast-" "Mmmm..not now Netti." "YES, now, master James," she exclaimed, now tugging on his pant leg, using this new method to try and pull him out of bed. "Ha-ha! Netti that tickles." Netti, now thoroughly exasperated was suddenly struck with an idea. Quickly running down the stairs to the kitchen, she grabbed a bucket and filled it with water. "Need to wash those sheets anyway.." she grumbled, as she began to run up the stairs, back to Christian. Now, Netti was a rather..stout woman and also rather old, being almost sixty, and even though she was a housekeeper, running up and down stairs was NOT in the job description.  
  
When she got back into his room, she proceeded in quickly (and forcefully) throwing the bucket of water over his.erm, manhood.  
  
"*GASP!*" Christian was definitely awake now! "Gods, Netti! What did you do that for?!?! If you wanted to wake me up, all you had to do was ask!"  
  
"I DID!" Exclaimed a now very annoyed Netti! "THERE IS A MESSENGER HERE FROM FRANCE!"  
  
"What?" Christian's head came up and his eyes met Netti's. "Yes." She said softly.  
  
Netti knew. Netti was the only one that knew that Satine was real. He had.published a book about her, their time together after about a year, and it had made him famous. More books he had published, and all bestsellers, all about, truth and beauty and freedom and - no. Not love. For he had only found one love. And he would not write about it again.  
  
So Netti knew the importance, of a messenger from France. He dressed quickly and rushed downstairs, Netti following quickly at his heels.  
  
And there he was. A messenger indeed. It was... "Harold?"  
  
*~~~~*  
  
After Managing to steer the man into the office, rather than talk in the front hall, Netti began to prepare tea and crumpets, the traditional English food for guests. Wonder what that gent's here for, she wondered as she munched down on a crumpet.  
  
*~~~~*  
  
"Dear boy! How are you?" Harold Zidler shouted at the VERY surprised boy sitting in front of him, with an expression on his face a mix between confusion and pure unadulterated terror.  
  
"Erm. Harold, I-I er wasn't uh" He looked at Netti who walked in with tea and a tray of crumpets, and raised an eyebrow, as if saying "a little HELP here?!"  
  
"Uh. we weren't expecting you! Uh, master." Netti faltered, not knowing Harold's last name "Zidler" Christian answered encouragingly "Yes! We weren't expecting you master Zidler" "Oh! Well, that's quite alright, this was a rather unexpected visit for myself as well.."  
  
And so, Harold Zidler began to tell Christian and Netti, the tale of why he was here."  
  
"Well, Christian you know that the Moulin rouge has been down and out for em, some time now" Harold started, swallowing every few seconds and playing with the handkerchief. "Yes" Christian replied. Where was this going? He was glad to see Harold, but also had to admit that his mind kept wandering from the subject.  
  
Did he know anything about Satine?  
  
"Well what you don't know is that.the duke holds the deeds to the Moulin rouge."  
  
Christian could NOT believe this. After all this time, the word "duke" evoked such hatred in him that he almost wanted to. to, throw the teapot against the wall!  
  
Netti saw him subconsciously reaching for the teapot handle, and a look of alarm came across her face. Master James might'nt like this duke fellow, and she knew, he had every right to hate the man, but that gave him no right to break their best china! She swooped down and grabbed the teapot from under his fingers. Christian looked up to the flustered housekeeper and shrugged his shoulders slightly. "Sorry Netti" he said. A "humph!" was all he got in return.  
  
Christian turned his attention back to Harold. "You said.the duke, holds the deeds to the Moulin rouge" "Yes," Said Harold a bit nervously. "Wha- how long? Why didn't." "Since that night in the gothic tower," Harold replied slowly and solemnly.  
  
"And?" Christian answered, short of breath, now leaning to the table. "And.he wants to open it back up again" Harold stated, rather simply. "He wants to WHAT?!" Christian yelled. Just then, a knock was heard on the door. "Master james?" It was Christians' butler, Butler. It was his day off, and Christian was wondering what he was doing back at the manor. "I was quite bored, and felt like coming back early" Butler replied to Christians' unasked question. Butler was a middle aged man, in his late forties, was fit and graceful and he was also- well a gentleman would say "Prefers the company of a man than that of a woman" "Harold, this is my Butler," he paused;" Butler" Ironic isn't it? He thought to himself. "Butler, meet Harold Zidler." Butler eyed the man up carefully. "Hmm. Hello, Master Zidler," He said in an almost .seductive tone? Both Christian and Netti turned to him with raised eyebrows, and somewhat "PLEASE tell me that you didn't just do that" expressions on their faces. "Sorry" Butler replied. "Well, I'll be going then he also said, but not before he took one of the crumpets from the tray and closed the door to the office once again, leaving a bewildered Christian, Netti and Harold still standing. "Right.." Harold said. "Well, that was.interesting". The two men sat back down. All seriousness coming back into the conversation. "The duke has put me back in charge of the Moulin rouge.and I would be very much honored if you would write the new show for us." "You're asking me.to go back there." Christian stated almost mechanically. "What makes you think that I want to see that all again? Do you not think that it doesn't haunt my mind every day?" Netti decided that it was time for her to go, and just as she closed the door softly behind her, she saw Butler standing there, eavesdropping. So she did the only thing that a good housekeeper would do; stop and listen as well. "I can't do that Harold. It'll kill me, I know it. I won't be able to breathe, because all that I'll smell is her scent and I'll go mad. I'm sorry for your trouble Harold. I'm sorry." He began to turn away when Harold spoke again. "She is not dead." He stated simply. Christian turned his head, the world slowing its perfect revolution for just a second as her beautiful face appeared in his mind. "What did you say?" he asked slowly, a look of morbid disbelief coming to his face." "Satine." Harold said again. "She is not dead. Nor is she harmed, but rather imprisoned of sorts, in a high tower; the courtesan waits for her sitar player to rescue her from the maharaja. "He finished softly, a look of pure and true regret and sadness upon his face. "The duke" Christian said, breathing heavily. He sat down and put his head in his hands. "The duke has her." "Yes" Harold answered, his tone as if he were recalling something vital from a memory. "No, no, no, that, it can't be, I- I asked you! All of you! You told me that you didn't know." "They didn't." He said remorsefully. "Only I knew." "For how long?" Christian choked out, his words tinged with agony. "Since the beginning." He paused, "since the very beginning." "And, you didn't tell me?" He asked looking up at him. The pain in his eyes almost unbearable to look at. "I'm sorry Christian. But the Duke would have had you killed if he found out that you knew. He is a jealous man Christian. A very jealous man. But.if you were to write the show, she would be there. The duke almost never lets her out of his sight, or out of the estate. She would be there Christian." "The duke will not allow me to write the show if he holds the deeds to the Moulin rouge." "Let me take care of the duke." Harold said. "This act of betrayal and lies has gone on long enough my boy." "You have a chance, now, to end it. To make things right." Christian looked up at the duke once more. "I suppose I'd better pack" he said. "Good man!" Said Butler, who broke through the door making a grand entrance. Butler also knew of course. "And I suppose I'll be taking the two of you with me as well," Christian said with a laugh. "Will you be there as well?" Butler asked Harold as he shimmied up next to him, invading what Harold called his "air Du personelle" Christian and Netti began to laugh; as Harold stood looking very confused indeed, and could NOT figure out what was so funny. And so their journey would begin. ~finis ACT 7: PART ONE!  
  
Yes, yes, I know, what happened to Satine? Well, that will be explained in Act 7: PART 2! But what else can you expect in part 2? Well how about: The duke finally telling Satine what is happening ~ "Satine, my dear, I have decided that the Moulin rouge will continue its existence as a theatre. Harold Zidler has hired a famous English author to write the new show.I can't for the life of me recall what his name was.oh; I think Zidler forgot to tell me." Dun dun dun..a little cliffy for all of you guys. So as always, review like mad, and look forward to another looooong chapter. 


	8. Act 7: Part two: Nature boy bites the du...

Hi again people, hope everyone had a great new year. I was at a sleepover and we called everyone in our address books and wished them a happy new year! So ya.enough of my pathetic life...here is chapter 7: PART 2!: nature boy bites the dust The velvet curtains open on to the computer screen, leaving the audience in hushed silence and anticipation. Let the show begin.  
  
Satine was running. Or.at least she was trying to run. She had given up on her shoes which now lay some meters behind her. "Mustn't, be, late!" She puffed, attempting vainly to remember to breathe against her haste!  
  
"Finally!" she said, as she came across the gothic tower. It had stopped raining, and she was glad for that at least, she would look funny enough without her shoes.  
  
The men opened the doors for her, and as she walked in she realized that.."He isn't here!" She breathed (about time) a loud sigh of relief and sat down.  
  
"Who isn't here, darling?" Asked a nasally voice, scaring Satine as she yelped and jumped of the chair. "Dear duke," she said, collecting herself quickly," I did not hear you come in". "Quite alright, but er.who were you talking to a moment ago?" He twitched his head expectantly, looking a bit.confused.. "I, was talking to .myself?" Satine answered with about as much dignity as she could muster. "Yes, well please dear lady sit; I have arranged a magnificent lunch for us" "How sweet of you, dear duke." Great, she thought. Another hour of HIM. Ughh. *~~~~* Being in her corset, Satine was finding it extremely difficult to eat, move or do anything really. The duke had been rambling on about something for the past half an hour or so, and every so often she would say, "really?!" or "Gods, that's fascinating!" and sometimes even, (if she was in a good mood) "my my, dear duke, you are so smart!" and then he would do that little thank you smile, but it always ended up looking like a grimace, because he seemed to have lost much of the ability to smile, or even move those muscles of his face. Every "attempt" at a smile resulted in a "pursing of the lips" motion. Disgusting, isn't he? Suddenly, the conversation took a turn for the more interesting. "Now my dear, about the Moulin rouge," "Yes?" Satines' head came up expectantly, but was careful not to seem too eager.  
  
"As you know, I am opening the Moulin rouge again, and we are going to need a show." He paused to pat his lips with the napkin, and then continued," I have spoken to Monsieur Zidler, and he has gotten some famous English author to write it for us. Apparently, he has great expectations for the show. What do you think?"  
  
Satines' heart dropped. "A.famous.English Author?" "Yes, my dear.now, what do you think?" Her heart stopped. It wasn't Christian. Christian wasn't a Famous English Author, or at least she didn't think so. Just then a man came and requested to talk to the duke, something about "surveying the area." "My dear, I'm afraid that I will have to leave you now, business needs attending to. Composing herself, she answered brightly, "Of course, dear duke. Business needs attending to." He took her hand and kissed it, saying what he always did. "A kiss on the hand may be quite continental," "But.diamonds are a girl's best friend." He nodded his head and left, leaving Satine in the long hall of the gothic tower. She sat back down, and started to cry. Her cries would be heard echoing through the tower until dusk. *~~~~*  
  
Satine sat in her small tower in the manor. The carriage had finally come and taken her home.  
  
Hey hey, Did you ever think there might be another way? To just feel better, just feel better about today  
  
It wasn't him. God, she had been so stupid! What were the odds anyway? And besides, the duke wouldn't let Christian write the show anyways.  
  
Oh no, if you never want to turn and have to go away You might feel better, might feel better if you stay.  
  
She used to be so strong before. What had happened to her? She was bent and broken, a pathetic little girl with nothing to live for, and nothing to hope for anymore.  
  
Yea, yea, I bet you haven't heard a word I've said. Yea, yea, you've had enough of all your trying, Just give up the state of mind you're in  
  
She started to cry. "God! Is all I ever do cry?" she asked herself loudly.  
  
If you wan to be somebody else If you're tired of fighting battles with yourself  
  
If you want to be somebody else Change your mind Change your mind  
  
She got up off of the window seat, now very angry. The smart birds on the ledge flew away, and the not so smart ones were objected to her colorful use of language, and items being thrown out the windows at them!  
  
Satine came to the window seat and lifted it up. Throwing it across the room, she came upon the little box under the cushion. She sniffled and picked it up. She opened it and came across the picture. The last thing she had. Her eyebrows creased in anger and frustration.  
  
"This is all YOUR fault!" she shouted at the picture. She took one last look at it and ripped it in half, herself on one side, and him on the other. She threw his half on the ground and started screaming at it. "If you don't want to come for me, then FINE! If you're too busy with your perfect little life, then I don't want to bother you with my pathetic existence! I don't NEED you here! In fact, i'm happy with the duke! He's smart and funny and rich, and-and OHHH! God, I just want to let him go. It hurts too much; just help me let him go." Satine crumpled to the floor, exhausted. Five years of pent up frustration coming out at once is a lot to handle for anyone. So Satine gathered up the picture, and threw the second half out the window. "Goodbye Christian. Have, a nice life." She slowly walked back down the stairs, but not before taking a last look out the window; only to see that the picture had already been blown away the ever changing wind. That same wind blew at her face, brushing her hair back behind her, and clearing the trail of her tears. ~finis  
  
Yes, so review as always, thank you to everyone who has, it keeps me motivated! The next chapter.well I haven't exactly written it yet, so I can't give you any Insider looks. But I can tell you that it will most probably be from Christian's pov. BTW: In the last chapter, "Christian looked up at the duke once more" should be "Christian looked up at Harold once more." Sorry if that confused everybody! Review review review.. -lee tea 


	9. Act 8: Oh the places you'll go!

Wow! It's been a while hasn't it! I'm sure glad to be back tho...too much homework is never a good thing, and for about a month there, I had an absolute TON of it. But I am back in full swing. There will be a bit of French language in this one...actually more than a bit. But all translations will be at the end of the chap. This one will either be a long one, or i'll upload more chaps at the same time, k? (Thankfully). So here is the next chapter of "This story is about love at the Moulin rouge", chapter 8.  
  
Chapter 8: Oh the places you'll go!  
  
The velvet curtains open up onto the computer screen, leaving the audience in hushed silence and anticipation. Let the show begin.  
  
Christian sat in the lofty train compartment. The seats were comfortable, the food was good, he was wearing his comfortable clothes, and it was a nice day. Harold had been true to his word, and had arranged tickets to France for Christian, Netti and Butler. Netti was in the washroom...trains didn't move her so well. He suspected that she would be staying in there for the rest of the trip. Butler was...well he didn't actually know where Butler was, probably pestering somebody for more of the little scones. He couldn't blame him really; the scones were actually quite good. Even with all of the positive things around him, he still couldn't get into a good mood. He couldn't help but feel that something was going to go wrong. When he saw her, what would he say? What would he do? What would the duke do? He didn't truly believe that Harold knew what he was doing. What was he going to do; just get there, sweep Satine off her feet and say  
  
"Great to see yah hun! Let's go!"  
  
But he was going to Satine. Satine. Satine... he kept repeating that word in his head; he couldn't believe it was actually happening! Jealousy had taken her away from him, and fate had given them another chance. Soon they would be reunited again. Soon, soon! Very soon indeed! For the first time yet this trip, Christian smiled. The scenery really was very pretty. He wondered if Butler had gotten any more of those scones; he was starting to get hungry.  
  
* * *  
  
Harold sat nervously in the office. He had gone 2 days earlier than  
Christian and his escorts, as to prepare for the Duke. This place was  
their usual meeting spot. A dingy little building just outside of  
Montmarte. It had been renovated slightly on the inside in all of the  
rooms, but this room was done up so well...it was like a palace! Harold did  
not know why the duke spent so much time on this little cachette, this  
little hiding place. It's not like they spent a lot of time here anyway,  
but who knew how many clients the duke had, all meeting in this large  
room, filled with jewels and gold. Extravagance and wealth, power and  
supremacy oozed from every corner of the room. Harold on his every visit  
was tempted to take a few jewels. Just a few would probably pay his  
debts. But every time his eyes wandered over to the pot of rubies on the  
table next to him, he remembered that the walls have ears and everything  
else has eyes. The duke would find out somehow, he knew that. Just then,  
the duke walked in, followed by his ever present manservant Warner who  
loomed over them both like a statue.  
  
"Bonjour Monsieur Duke! Comment faites-tu ce beau jour?" He said.  
  
"Cut the formalities Zidler, I'm fine. Let's get this over with, shall  
we?" he asked, although it was a rhetorical question. His voice was as  
nasally as ever, so much so that he pronounced Harold's name as Zeedleur.  
  
"Yes, yes, well that's good." Harold answered back. "I have some  
important news to tell you about, our writer is on the way here as we  
speak!" The dukes head picked up, his enthusiasm restored. He wouldn't  
mind having another source of income, and the sooner this writer got  
here, the sooner they could start the Moulin rouge back up again. Harold  
continued.  
  
"Yes, well i'm afraid that you already know him, his name is Christian  
James and-"  
  
"WHAT?!?!?!?!" The duke roared. "YOU IMBECILE! ARE YOU SOME KIND OF  
IDIOT, BRINGING THE BOY BACK HERE?!?!?!"  
  
"Please, Monsieur Duke, calm down! Erm, there is no need to become  
agitated!"  
  
"THERE IS EVERY REASON TO BE AGITATED ZEEDLEUR!! THERE IS NO WAY HE WILL  
WRITE THE PLAY!!! IT'S TOO ...RISKY!!!"  
  
"There is nothing to worry about! You have Satine now! You are to be  
married, and in any case, you can bring her with you and show him how you  
have won once and for all! Besides, he is just a stupid boy, no? All he  
will do for us is write the play. He is a famous author back in England,  
you know. Plus, it is too late to look for someone else now."  
  
The Duke began to calm back down, sitting slowly in the chair, his hands  
grasping the sides of it so hard that his knuckles were white. He said  
"Fine. Have it your way. But if I see even one thing suspicious between  
the boy and Satine, ONE THING ZEEDLEUR! Then Warner will be using his  
guns and it won't be pretty. Understand?" The whole time he said that,  
his head bobbed and his mustache kind of twitched. Harold thought he  
looked like a Suisse.  
  
"I...understand completely." Harold answered, quite afraid now.  
  
"Good. Now get out."  
  
"Right away dear Duke."  
  
The Duke just waved him off with a swoosh of his hand, and Harold got up  
hastily and left the room, getting an evil death look from Warner just  
before the door of the room closed behind him. Once in the hall, he  
realized that he had better get to the washroom quickly.  
  
"Zut!"  
  
He had peed his pants.  
  
~finis  
  
So....whatcha think? As always, review review review! Now, I'm aiming to  
get over 100 reviews at the end of this story, and reviews make me write  
faster, so.....REVIEW! Come on?! What are you waiting for? Go press the  
little blue button, OH! But before you do, here are the translations:  
  
Cachette: hiding place  
"Monsieur Duke, comment faites-tu ce beau jour?: Duke, how are you doing  
this fine day?  
Suisse: Chipmunk  
  
Zut: drat  
  
Well, that's it for this chap, pretty long I think. Also, if you have any  
questions or comments that you want to email me about, feel free to do  
so. My email is on my profile.  
  
-lee tea 


	10. Act 9: Is there a point in thinking abou...

Oh my gosh! Wow, it's been soooo looooonnggg! Sheesh! But here I am again, with a new chap, I hope you guys like it and haven't given up on me! We're gonna get a bit angstier here, so grab your tissue, and also grab that mouse to review right after! Thanks for comin back after the wait! With no further a due, I give you....  
  
ACT 9: Is there a point in thinking about yesterday?  
  
The velvet curtains open on to the computer screen, leaving the audience in hushed silence and anticipation. Let the show begin.  
  
I Do you suppose that I remember what went on that night,  
  
Do you suppose I saw it coming, even though it wasn't right,  
  
Do you suppose I didn't shed a tear, then wipe them all away?  
  
Is there a point in thinking about yesterday? /I ........  
  
Anticipation was in the air. It hung heavily over the minds of our cast....all of them, trying to pre occupy themselves in a desperate attempt to lift the haze. Especially Satine. She was constantly running around, like on a high, she wouldn't stop. She supposed that running forever would be a better alternative than stopping and having to think. She was in constant motion, trying to numb the dread that had formed in a pit in her stomach. The duke was being unusual as well. Usually he gave Satine her space enough when she wanted it... but lately she always felt his eyes on her- watching. He was always just...there. He had her watched over every minute of the day, not letting her out of his sight, and Satine wondered why. The duke usually had business endeavors that calculated a certain amount of risk on his part, and Satine didn't bother to get involved. Satine figured it was just stress from the show. After all...today was the first day of preparation. The new writer hadn't arrived yet, she had no idea who it was. She didn't want to know.... The memories had become too painful when dwelt upon, so she pushed them back once more.  
  
The duke would be going to the Moulin rouge shortly and had insisted that Satine come along AGAIN. She hated it now...more than ever before. She hated to think of herself as that person, and she thought that if she was someone better now, that she night get a smug sense of pride....but she wasn't a better person. Her hope was gone. When she was a courtesan, she would often dream of seeing the sun- for what it truly was, not tainted by the colored glass or clouds that seemed to have frozen her soul. She dreamed of feeling warmth upon her skin, of tasting the sweet rays and basking in the light. When Christian was with her, she had tasted the sun.  
  
And it was brilliant. It was everything that she had ever imagined. It enveloped her and she loved seeing it. But when he left.....when he left- the sun became too hot. Its rays were not sweet, but rather pinions of harmful memories that had come to haunt her. They did not caress her skin like before, but rather dove deep beneath the surface and burned her. And after a while, she realized that Christian maybe want coming back. And that just made the rays hotter and hotter, and soon she went back to herself- or rather, a shell of herself, in an attempt to take the pain away. Because after all.... Stage lights can't burn the skin like sun can.  
  
Finis  
  
So?!?!?!?!? What'd you guys think? I wanted to go a little deeper into Satine's view of the transition back to regular life from Christian. Did I totally screw up? Well guess what? You can tell me by pressing that LOVELY little button down there! So review review review, and I PROMISE that I'll have another chapter up really soon.  
  
Lee tea 


	11. Act 10: Three women and the hole in the ...

Wow! Well here I am, back again, with the longest chapter yet! Aren't you proud? Lol, so enjoy some Satine fluff, and guess what? CHRISTIAN IS FINALLY IN PARIS! Stay tuned

The velvet curtains open onto the computer screen, leaving the audience in hushed silence and anticipation.

Act 10: three women and the hole in the floor

The velvet curtains open on to the computer screen, leaving the audience in hushed silence and anticipation. Let the show begin.

"If I could find you now, things would get better,

we could leave this town and run forever"

Satine walked aimlessly. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately, she had been told- but she found doing things aimlessly to be very agreeable. She had to admit...watching the restoration had been quite enticing, although quite a bit boring- she had absolutely nothing to do! It was as though the duke had brought her along only so he could flaunt her around and give her orders. Stand up straight darling, keep your chin up darling, walk like a lady darling, smile for me darling.

"Be a lady" he had said. But Satine was tired of acting like a lady. Were ladies not supposed to have emotions? Or brains? Now Satine did not think that she was especially smart, but she had seen the women from England in the streets of Paris, in their new gowns, and bustiers, chattering and gossiping amongst themselves, and she did not think them to be the sharpest tools in the shed either.

"Oh MARY, did you SEE that? Oh MY. Wait until the ladies society hears about THIS." They would say, and then they would do that little chattering laugh- they sounded like magpies. She snickered at the thought of those women with wings and large beaks, and received a rather aggrieved look from the duke. She cleared her throat and sent him a charming smile, and mouthed to him "I was thinking about you!" he attempted a smile at her, although it.....well it didn't give him the impression he was hoping for.

So Satine set out in search for something to do, walking aimlessly again, trying to find something to amuse her self- she felt like a child who's mother had to go to an important lunch, or shopping in the market, and had to come along and sit. But Satine couldn't have

possibly known what that felt like- she never had a mother. Well of course she'd had one at one point or another, but not a mother in story books, the mothers that bake cookies, that take their daughters to the park, that help them with schoolwork, that took them to

buy a new dress just because. Because a mother should not need a reason to dote upon her only daughter. No, Satine had never had a mother like that. At nighttime in the orphanage in MontMartre when the other little girls would stay up French braiding each others hair, she would sometimes make up a day with her mother. She would think about what they would do, and eat and say, and as a result, she was often outcastes, they thought she was a bit odd- always talking to herself, off in her own world. She had never even left the village. Born and raised- if you could call an orphanage a proper place to be raised- in Montmarte, Satine was about to continue thinking about he days in Monmarte, when she took a step, and the floor made an odd creaking sound beneath her. She looked down, and then took another step, when suddenly the floorboards beneath her gave way completely!

"AAHH!" She managed to get out a surprised shriek before falling beneath the floor, landing some 5 seconds later on a squishy (and very dusty) pile of mattress cushions.

"Oomph!" She grunted, as she came up to a sitting position on the pile. She waved her hands in front of her face, coughing, moving the tiny dust particles out of the way. Looking around, Satine saw...a living room? Couches and chairs, an ornate glass table with tea cups set out on its top, a clock on the wall with the correct time....since when did the Moulin rouge have people living beneath its floors?

"Oh no! Now you've gone and done it! I just finished patching up that hole and now it's broken again. Rats!"

Satine turned around and came face to face with an old woman. Startled, she squealed and toppled backwards on top of the pile, sending another cloud of dust up in to the already musty air.

"Oh, come now, get up!" the woman said. Satine was surprised to hear that the woman had an English accent.

"Come on now! Haven't got all day do we! Up you go". She said again, outstretching her arm to Satine, who took it gratefully, because to tell the truth, she was having quite a bit of difficulty getting up herself.

"Er.....hello there." Satine said to the woman. "I'm Sa-"

"I know who you are missy, no need for that." She answered again. "I'm Justine, this is my home, it says hello." She said sarcastically.

Satine thought that this was extremely rude of someone to say, but decided not to act upon the instinct of quickly running away from this strange and all knowing woman. Satine followed Janet into what must have been the kitchen, and sat down at the table, looking around. She had been at the Moulin rouge for years- how could she have never known that this was here? Then she remembered that a large Chester drawer used to inhabit this space on the ground floor. She remembered because she would always bang into it and stub her toe on the legs of it. It made that part of the hallway very tiny, and everyone had to squeeze past each other to get through. But there were so many questions: how long had this woman lived here? How could Satine not known of her existence? Did Zidler know?

"I was here when you were the star of the Moulin rouge," she said. "And yes...Zidler knew I was here. He should- I'm his god damned mother!"

"You're...Zidlers mother?" Satine asked her. Yes she replied, didn't you hear me the first time? She also added. Satine nodded, and explained her confusion. Zidler had never said anything of his mother...Satine naturally assumed that she was deceased! Janet continued, "Harold...became the owner of this place, and I originally lived in one of the rooms in the tower, the corner one? With the leaky ceiling right by the window?" Satine nodded, she knew of that room: it was a huge props room when she had been the star of the Moulin rouge...it had also been a hiding place for herself and Christian when they wanted a moment alone. Satines' eyes began to glaze over, an unspeakable sadness forming in them, her attention to the outlandish woman in front of her broken for just a moment; then it was back. It was not healthy, she found, to live in the past. Some memories...were best to be kept locked away until one is ready to deal with them. Justine continued,

"Yes, well I used to live there, in that room. I was quite comfortable there actually, just put a bowl under the spot and empty it when it gets full, but of course there was that one time, Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha! Hmm, yes there was this one time you see...." Justine rambled on to herself for a moment, and then snapped back to reality.

"Oh, sorry, did I get distracted there? Well? Say something! Oh well, anyways, so I lived in that room, and then gradually, over time, the Moulin rouge became home to all sorts of people: actors, courtesans, dancers, helpers, people off the street, that apparently, Harold thought needed that space more than I did. So I moved from place to place on the grounds, and this place just kept filling up, and eventually, about 6 'n a half years ago, just about the time you came to the place, right?" Satine interjected with a quick nod, eager to hear the rest of the story, "I found this space, by falling through that exact hole. These mattresses were there, so there had to be another entrance, where somebody would have come in and put them there right? So I ended up finding it and it comes out to Marquis Street, just across from the hotel. There's a handle on the outside. But there's a big dumpster that I put in front of it, that's empty of course, so that I can move it when I have to get in, but only when no body's lookin'."

Satine sat nodding, hunched over in her chair, her elbows on her knees, fascinated. And kind of disturbed...but fascinated! Satine was going to ask Justine a question about something, but she had become distracted by a creaking noise coming from behind her. She was trying to remember what her question was, but the creaking noise just would NOT stop, and she finally turned around, and said out loud

"Goodness, what is that creaking noi-"

And just then, a young girl fell into the hole just as Satine had done not 30 minutes prior. The girl looked at Satine and then at Justine, and looked at the hole in the floor. Then she looked at the both of them again, and said:

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!" To which Justine and Satine both said:

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" It was quite loud, and Satine, who wasn't really sure why she was screaming, it just seemed appropriate, was surprised that no one heard or looked through the hole in the floor. Then Justine stopped screaming, mumbling something that sounded like, stop it every body or something like that and the two other women just sort of followed suit, and Justine took a long drag on her cigarette and nodded at the girl while she took another drag of her cigarette and said

"Welcome to the club".

Two hours and 36 cigarettes later...

The girls name was Michette. She had come to audition for the main role in the play; auditions were to be held tomorrow, but she had gotten here a day earlier than expected and on her way to the powder room, had stopped to tie the laces on her boot, and noticed a rather large hole in the floor. So she had gone to see what was in the hole, even though she had been terribly afraid that it was going to be a monster of some sort that was going to jump out and at her or something, and when she got closer to it, the floorboards that she was standing on gave way themselves, and that's how she ended up at Justines' kitchen table, smoking cigarettes. She realized who Satine was when she had gotten up off of the mattresses and the dust had cleared.

"You're .:hicc:. Satine! .:hicc:.!" She managed to get out between hiccups from the dust. When Michette heard of the auditions for the new show, she had come right away.

"My papa used to come here all the time," she said. "I was still young, no more than 8, and all I knew about this place was that my mama would get very angry whenever my papa would leave to come here. I remember asking him what he came here for if it made mama so angry. He said that he came for love, and I asked him didn't he get enough love from me and mama? And he said yes, but every once in a while he needed just a little bit more. I didn't understand at all," Michette said, her voice lilted with a small laugh. "I remember one time I snuck out of the house and followed him here. There were so many people, everywhere; they didn't even see me come in. I saw you up there, on the trapeze. You were so graceful, it was like magic. I stood and watched your whole show, it was amazing. And ever since I've wanted to be like that- like you!" She laughed again, happier this time, exuberant just to be in the presence of "the sparkling diamond." "They called you the sparkling diamond. I remember thinking, 'wow! What a great name!' The next week I made mama and papa call me the exuberant emerald; I had this green feather shawl, and a large emerald necklace that mama didn't wear anymore, and these green stockings and I wore that everyday for about a month! It just seemed more exciting than staying at home doing nothing. So, I moved to Paris when I got older, and I went to school, and they had an acting company there, and I auditioned, and did some plays there and such. But I heard the auditions for the new play at the Moulin Rouge, and I came over here straight away, took the 10:15 train all the way from Paris. And...here I am."

So the three women spoke of nostalgia, and of the unknown things that bound them together. The stage, the manager, and the hole in the floor.

Part deux

Christian walked aimlessly around his compartment of the train. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. They were still on the train, heading to France, heading to...to what else? To a dream that had always been so vivid in his mind- what he would do, what he would say, she occupied every space in his mind, forever haunting his thoughts. And now, the time had finally come, the time when dreams became reality, when hidden courage had to be swept up from the shelf, dusted off, and used anew. Christian was afraid. He was very, very afraid. It had been so much easier to watch her, and then he had her and lost her. Watching and dreaming are so much safer than actuality. Was he willing to be able to hold her once more just so that she could be taken away again? Of course he was. Netti had told had told him that even though it is safer to watch and wait, who truly wants to be safe from the bad things if it keeps away the good things as well? He had always believed that. He had to believe it now more than ever. Nettie came out from the washroom, looking very uneasy; train rides made her quite nauseas. "Well hello dear," she said as she walked slowly towards him, holding on to the tops of seats for much needed balance. She looked awful.

"You look awful." He said. She laughed and told him that she didn't agree with trains. Butler came in through the doors; he had a big smile on his face, and was holding a bottle of Champagne. "Good news everyone!" He shouted loudly, holding out his other hand, which was holding 3 champagne glasses. He filled them to the rims with champagne, and gave Netti and Christian each a glass, and hoisted his high above his head in a toast. Christian thought he was just a bit drunk.

"WE!" he started, "Have ARRIVED!" He finished, and then proceeded to take a huge swig of his champagne, and then feel over backwards, asleep. They had finally arrived. Christians' head turned to the noise of the train whistle signaling their arrival in the train station in Paris. He could hear the conductor of the train coming and knocking on the doors of all the train compartments.

"Madam? We've arrived; please exit the train, yer bags are being unloaded at the end of the pavilion. Thank you fer yer business, come again." He said at each compartment, in a thick Irish accent, changing "madam" to "sir" when necessary. He reached Christians compartment, and was about to start his little speech when he stopped and looked over Christians' shoulder. Christian turned around to see Netti dump a large bucket of water over Butlers' head, who in turn, woke up rather quickly after that. Christian turned back around to face the conductor, who had a confused look on his face.

"Oh don't worry. That happens all the time," Christian said to the man, in reference to Netti's new wake up method. A weak smile and a very grumpy butler later, the three travelers stepped out into the Fresh French air. Christian could smell the baguettes baking in the nearby bakery in the train station. There were three men singing on the platform who had caught Butler's attention, and Netti was walking around on the platform, breathing in deeply, trying to shake off her train sickness. Christian dropped his bags and walked over to the wall which was made of windows, looking out at the great city of Paris. An unparalled surge of confidence and energy brought a smile to his face. And not a small, or a fake smile, but a full blown out smile, which was rare from him these days. I'm going to find her, he said to himself. I'm going to find her! He leaned his back against a large rod iron pillar and continued looking out over the city. He saw the Eiffel tower, cobblestone streets and small shops. He could hear the music, smell the scents, and a new musical was forming in his mind. Yes! It would be wonderful, and Satine would be his again. Yes, they had finally arrived.

fin chapter

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